Specimen processing systems are conventionally known in the fields of regenerative medicine and genetic analysis or the like, which process specimens such as blood and cells. A specimen management method using this type of specimen processing system is implemented using following procedures (1) to (4).
(1) First, a user stores a specimen in a tubular sample container and then inputs information on the specimen (e.g., information on date, contents and person in charge) to the specimen processing system.
(2) Next, the user sticks a seal with a printed bar code in which an identification number corresponding to information on the specimen is coded, to a side face of the tubular sample container in which the specimen is stored.
(3) Next, the user reads the bar code using a bar code reader, inputs the identification number to the specimen processing system and inputs information on the position of a rack on which the tubular sample container is to be placed (hereinafter referred to as “placement position”) in association with the identification number. In this way, the placement position of the tubular sample container on the rack is registered.
(4) The user then places the tubular sample container at the placement position and stores the rack in a freezer or incubator.
After (4) above, the user can visually check the position on the rack at which each tubular sample container is located on a monitor on the specimen processing system.
For example, PTL 1 discloses a specimen analysis apparatus that moves a rack holding a container that contains a specimen in a row direction and a column direction and reads information attached to the container using an optical sensor. This makes it possible to prevent erroneous detection of information of a container adjacent to the container whose information is to be read.